Lythe War Memorial
St Oswald’s Church, Lythe Bank, Lythe, North Yorkshire, YO21 3RW
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1430667
- Date first listed:
- 26-Nov-2015
- List Entry Name:
- Lythe War Memorial
- Statutory Address:
- St Oswald’s Church, Lythe Bank, Lythe, North Yorkshire, YO21 3RW
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1430667
- Date first listed:
- 26-Nov-2015
- List Entry Name:
- Lythe War Memorial
- Statutory Address 1:
- St Oswald’s Church, Lythe Bank, Lythe, North Yorkshire, YO21 3RW
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- St Oswald’s Church, Lythe Bank, Lythe, North Yorkshire, YO21 3RW
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- North Yorkshire (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Lythe
- National Park:
- North York Moors
- National Grid Reference:
- NZ8500113154
Summary
War memorial. Erected c. 1920.
Reasons for Designation
Lythe War Memorial, which stands within the churchyard of the church of St Oswald, is listed at Grade II for the following reasons:
* Historic interest: as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on the local community, and the sacrifice it made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Design: a limestone shaft supporting a heavily stylised four-sided lantern head depicting Christ crucified;
* Group value: with the Grade I listed church of St Oswald.
History
The aftermath of the First World War saw a huge wave of public commemoration with tens of thousands of memorials erected in England. One such memorial was erected in c1920 to commemorate those from the parish of Lythe who fell in the First World War, and also seven bodies recovered from the sea.
Details
The war memorial stands at the top of Lythe Bank within the churchyard of the church of St Oswald (Grade I) against the south side of the west tower. It comprises a 3m high octagonal limestone shaft supporting a heavily stylised four-sided lantern head depicting Christ crucified. Beneath are symbols of the Passion.The limestone plinth is cuboid with chamfered top edge. This stands on a simple, low, two-stage base. The plinth carries the incised inscription (first face) TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN GRATEFUL/ MEMORY OF THE MEN OF THIS PARISH/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR KING AND/ COUNTRY IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918/ (second face) (names)/ ALSO SEVEN UNKNOWN SAILORS BURIED AT LYTHE 1914-1918/ UNTO GOD'S GRACIOUS MERCY WE COMMIT/ THEM. THE LORD BLESS THEM AND KEEP THEM./ THE LORD LIFT UP THE LIGHT OF HIS COUNT/ENANCE UPON THEM AND GIVE THEM PEACE/ BOTH NOW AND FOR EVERMORE AMEN. (third face) REMEMBER THEM O GOD AND/ BRING THEM UNTO GLORY THROUGH THE/ SUFFERING AND DEATH OF THE CAPTAIN OF OUR SALVATION.
Sources
Websites
War Memorials Online, accessed 18 May 2015 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/node/173537
War Memorials Register, accessed 18th May 2015 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/30608
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 20-Jul-2026 at 05:14:35.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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